MUSIBATTY

Mirate  article

1/12/2016

 
Many thanks to Tere Miguel and Gina Duarte for their article about my jewelry in the January issue of Mírate magazine. You can read the translated version below.
MUSIBATTY


​MUSIBATTY: A JEWELRY BRAND WITH ONE-OF-A-KIND PIECES  HANDMADE BY JENNIFER MUSI.

​
​Each piece reflects a personal visual exploration that comes from the designer's training as a sculptor and her love for fashion. Her language is simple and she combines primitive and powerful forms.


Jennifer's creations are distinguished by the fact that her jewelry is sustainable. When she works in her studio, located in the Condesa, in Mexico City, she uses 100% recycled sterling silver, nickel free bronze, brass, and semi-precious stones.
​
"I use recycled sterling silver from photographic processes to preserve the environment and avoid open pit mining that uses cyanide to extract metal. I work from home, and I sell everything I make through the internet. I don't own a car, I mostly use raw materials made in Mexico, and I shop for them locally. The felt bags I use to package my jewelry are made by a single mother who sews them by hand."

MUSIBATTY was born six years ago and sells online to all parts of the world: www.musibatty.com

Caras    Interview

11/7/2015

 
I was recently interviewed by Isabel García Muñoz for her inspiring online project, Caras de la Información. Her site showcases artists and innovators from around the world, "people who nourish us with their creativity, add something new and contribute to create a world full of ideas that are fresh, original and free." If you speak Spanish, I suggest you visit her site, her interviews are fascinating. 

Isabel's questions made me reflect on the role craftsmanship has in the modern world. I've translated the article below. I hope it inspires you!
Picture
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

My dream was to study fashion design in London or New York. I saw fashion as a personal means of creative expression, and I imagined it was a vital part of both cities. I also wanted to be a model. I loved the magic that exists between fashion and photography, and wanted to be a part of it. 

You were first a ceramist and a visual artist, then one day you decided to design jewelry. How did that change your life? 

It was liberating. I felt that painting and sculpture belonged to the intelectual world of visual arts, and as an intuitive creator, I could not identify with it. When I discovered jewelry, I saw an unexplored path, a place where I could find and develop my own voice. Being able to wear what I made also motivated me, because it combined well with my love for fashion. 

How did you begin?

My mother is a natural artist, and she taught me from an early age to dye yarn, punch rugs, knit sweaters, draw, paint and sculpt. By the time I left high school I knew I wanted to do something creative and visual.

During my twenties, I worked in local ceramic and painting studios. In my thirties, I went to university and studied printmaking and ceramic sculpture. For two decades, creativity was an important part of my life, but my main focus was getting to know myself through yoga, meditation and travel. I intuitively knew that in order to be a good artist I first had to know who I was. After living in Vietnam, the United States and Canada, I returned to Mexico and discovered jewelry making. That was six years ago, and since then I've focused my attention on developing work that is very personal. 

What is your vision as an artist? What inspires you to create?

Observing the world around me is my greatest pleasure in life. I am attracted to simple shapes, industrial objects, monumental architecture, and the art of ancient civilizations. I draw a lot, because if I don't capture ideas when I get them, they leave. I can also visualize a piece of jewelry better when I draw it. If I see something that's been done before, I always ask, how would I do that? 
​
I draw a lot, because if I don't capture ideas when I get them, they leave.
I can also visualize a piece of jewelry better when I draw it.
​If I see something that's been done before, I always ask, how would I do that?

​You are a mixture of cultures and you have travelled a lot. What does the contact with other countries bring you? 

Mexico is the place I love the most, and although I was born here, I consider myself a citizen of the world.  My mother is British and my father is Mexican-Lebanese. From an early age I came into contact with diverse cultures, and since then I find travel very nourishing. When I work in my studio, I travel by listening to audiobooks and interviews. I spend most of my time alone and I connect with the rest of the world through the stories I hear.

How does travel feed your creativity?

When I travel, all of my senses awaken the moment I leave home. I like to travel with a good camera and I photograph everything that grabs my attention. Capturing images allows me to know my point of view, and that's where I discover my vision as an artist. I notice my preference for certain forms and I learn to compose. If you ask me whether I prefer to enjoy what others have made, or I'd rather make something myself, I will always prefer the latter. I am not a passive traveler, I'd rather be on the side of the maker than the consumer.  

Are you interested in the crafts tradition? 

I feel that in an industrialized world, the most valuable objects are those that have a human touch. Not only because they are handmade, but because they are made with emotion. They are pieces that transmit life. 

I feel that in an industrialized world, the most valuable objects
are those that have a human touch. Not only because they are handmade,
​but because they are made with emotion. They are pieces that transmit life.

My work is artisanal: I build each piece of jewelry by hand using rudimentary techniques and simple tools. I studied jewelry in a government-run trade school, and what I learnt can be done in a small space with a low budget. When I create, I am not interested in technology (although I am when I share my work). What I value most are my hands, my eyes and my imagination. My mother is a textile artist, and from her I inherited the pleasure of making things that aren't available elsewhere. 

How do you merge craftsmanship and modernity? 

I think that modernity does not come from following a trend, but by discovering who you are on the inside, and creating something that reflectes it on the outside. Traditional crafts tend to follow inherited techniques and imagery. It would be difficult for me to repeat the same pieces. I would die of boredom. I'm interested in discovering possibilities. What else can I do with an idea? This evolution makes my work current. As long as I feel alive, so will my work.

What materials do you like to use in your work?

My favorite raw material is sterling silver because it ages well and lasts a long time. I like the contrast between a smooth surface and texture, between what is matte and shiny. I also use semi-precious stones because they have a special energy. I'm in awe of the fact that they took millions of years to form, and I imagine all that had to happen for them to have a particular structure and color. 

What kind of pieces do you make?

What I most make are rings. I love my hands, and they are the part of my body that I most adorn. Perhaps that's why I keep trying to make "The Ring," the one that is so special that it ends my search. I also enjoy making necklaces and earrings. 

Are you interested in recovering traditions and sustainability?

I like to inspire those who want to create. I am exited to live in a world where everyone finds and expresses their unique voice. Where we don't limit ourselves, and are enriched by our diversity. I think the human species will have a future only if we can find meaning in what we generate. We are creators by nature. If we stop that impulse, we will destroy not only ourselves, but everything around us.
​
I think  the human species will have a future only if we can find meaning
​in what we generate. We are creators by nature. If we stop that impulse,
​we will destroy not only ourselves, but everything around us.

​My business model is sustainable in several ways. I make my jewelry with sterling silver recycled from photographic processes. I work from home, and shop for all of my raw materials locally. I am fortunate to be part of a generation that was not raised with the internet, but learnt to use it in time to take full advantage of its benefits. I now only sell online, which allows me to ship to all parts of the world, receive direct feedback from my customers, and spend most of my time making stronger work.

Are we going back to craftsmanship and quality design?

A few years ago I worked for an NGO helping traditional potters use unleaded glazes in their wares. As I visited the craftspeople in the Michoacán region, I realized that the only artisans that would survive globalization were those who had their own voice and made outstanding pieces. Objects that found their own market niche because they reflected mastery and had a unique and personal vision. I think we will always value creations that are born in the depths of human imagination.

I think we will always value creations that are born 
​in the depths of human imagination.

Where can we buy your jewelry?

On my website: www.musibatty.com. I ship to most parts of the world.

What are you working on now? What projects are coming up? 

When I began, I though I'd create a business based on my jewelry, accessories, clothing and decorating designs. Since then, I've discovered that what I most love is making one-of-a-kind jewelry that embodies my vision as an artist.

What challenges do you have as a designer and citizen of the world? 

My goal is to create jewelry that moves me and those who wear it deeply. Pieces that inspire others to explore their imagination. We don't need more stuff, but we do seek objects that are meaningful and uplift us. Work that reminds us of the great potential that exists within every human being.
​
My goal is to create jewelry that moves me and those who wear it deeply.
Pieces that inspire others to explore their imagination.
We don't need more stuff, but we do seek objects that are meaningful and uplift us.
Work that reminds us of the great potential that exists within every human being.

Art   Jewelry   Magazine

10/15/2015

 
In my twenties, I used to ask myself questions about my future: “What will I do with my life?” “Art,” a voice within answered. “Will it be any good?” I inquired. “Your work will be on the cover of a magazine,” was the answer. “Which one?” “Art in America,” I thought I heard the voice reply (I was a painter back then). Years later, I became a jeweler, and today my work is on the cover of Art Jewelry Magazine. I am grateful and surprised to see an idea I believed in materialize in such a wonderful publication.

Art Jewelry Magazine offers tutorials for jewelers of all skill levels, but this issue is dedicated to beginners. My necklace is featured as an example of how entry-level techniques can be used to create a complex looking piece. I find this describes my work perfectly. In the six years I’ve made jewelry, I’ve learnt what I could with the resources I’ve had, and used my imagination as my biggest asset. As a visual artist, I’ve approached my jewelry as I would a drawing or a sculpture, focusing on the character of a piece, on its energy and its soul. I never intended to become a technical expert, I only wanted to make pieces that felt alive and mattered to someone.
MUSIBATTY
MUSIBATTY
Picture
MUSIBATTY
Check out the November 2015 issue of Art Jewelry Magazine.
It is filled with amazing step-by-step tutorials
(including how to make the Crescent necklace on the cover)
and in-depth product reviews for jewelers.

Art   Jewelry   Magazine

6/15/2015

 


I was kindly invited by Art Jewelry Magazine to show my silver Totem Ring in their July, 2015 issue. I had not seen this wonderful publication in person before, and I found it full of inspiration and with amazing tips for jewelers. 

Art Jewelry Magazine also has a website where you can learn jewelry making techniques through detailed step by step instructions. It is a treasure chest for all of us self-starters! 
MUSIBATTY

A   The   Style   Guide

6/11/2015

 
I was fortunate to be included in the June, 2015 article on women who begin a successful business from scratch, for the magazine A, the Style Guide, by Andares. 

I am especially grateful for Nonatzin Martínez who interviewed me and wrote the article, and Luis Carillo, who came to my studio to take my picture. 

For the full article in Spanish, visit their website. You can find the english translation below the image. 
Picture
Musibatty is a jewelry brand that was born from the desire to create pieces that were like small sculptures, like "those jewels made by traditional artisans using fine metals that last for generations," shares the creator, who used to be a ceramist. A nomadic lifestyle inspired her to seek more portable materials with which to work with. Today she uses sterling silver recycled from photographic processes –to reduce the impact of modern day mining–, semi-precious gemstones, nickel-free bronze and brass, and, most recently, metal clay, a maleable paste that contains fine granulated silver which hardens when heated.

Her first pieces were made for personal use, but she always knew she wanted to make a living from what she loved to do. "I began almost six years ago, making only one-of-a-kind pieces that I built entirely by hand. During my fourth year, I made a serial collection, from which I hand-made the originals and cast the replicas in a local studio. For a whole year I would pick up the cast pieces and finish each one by hand in my studio. After a while, I realized that I do my best work as an artist making one-of-a-kind pieces, and that is all I do now."

For Musibatty, creating is a cycle that is completed when the work is shared with others, that is born from the imagination and culminates bringing beauty and power to others. Today her business is self sustaining. The formula for her success is to be present in all her live sale events, to design her own displays and build her website, as well as all her visual and online communication: "all the love I dedicate to each part of my business makes my brand very personal and recognizable. That is the main reason why my business is successful."

Another thing she does not lose sight of is the direct contact she has with each of her customers, as that interaction has allowed her to learn to communicate who she is and what she does. "When I work in my studio, I listen to many books on tape and podcasts on how to be an independent artist. I don't have a physical store and I try to keep a low overhead, and I don't lose time administering my business more than I have to." This has worked well for Musibatty, to the point where she now advises other designers and artists so they too have an outstanding presence in the current marketplace: that passion to create unique jewels, initially for her own use, is now a business and an example that inspires new entrepreneurs.

    MUSIBATTY

    welcome

    I am Jennifer Musi, the jewelry artist behind MUSIBATTY, and this is my blog archive.

    ​Here you can find posts from December 2013, to May, 2016.

    ​I will no longer update this site. Please click on the link below to see my recent work.
    ​
    New Website

    MUSIBATTY

    @musibatty

    On Social Media

    Connect

    Instagram
    Pinterest
    Facebook

    Respect

    I made this blog to share my work with you. I believe in generosity and I want to live in a world where we all inspire each other.

    ​All of my designs and photographs are copyrighted. If you would like to reproduce them in any way, please 
    email me first. 

    Archives

    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013


    categories

    All
    Creativity
    Drawings
    Events
    Inspiration
    Interviews
    Jewelry
    Lookbook
    Paintings
    Press
    Sculptures
    Studio
    The 100 Day Project
    Travel
    Work In Progress


    Join  my  
    Mailing  list 

    Get my shop updates delivered to your inbox.

    online   shop

    Shop Here

Recent Posts

Source
Crystallized
Windswept
Wilderness
Stay Connected

Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
Email
Sign up 

Join my mailing list to get shop updates delivered to your inbox, and find out about special offers and events.

Copyright © 2009 - 2016 MUSIBATTY | Full Metal Beauty. All rights reserved.